Device to stop and to change direction of vehicles in a capsule-transport pipeline

ABSTRACT

A pipeline transportation system for vehicles in which the motive force is low pressure air traveling at a velocity substantially at which the vehicles are swept along includes a first pipeline which leads to a transfer duct and a second pipeline which leads away from the transfer duct. A guiding pipeline extends beyond the transfer duct as a continuation or extension of that pipeline in which air flows into the transfer duct and an extension of the other pipeline also leads from the transfer duct, the two guide extensions having free end portions disposed in close adjacency to each other. A dead-end chamber is swingably mounted for movement between positions aligned with the respective free end portions of the two guide extensions and in the return guide extension there is an unloading station whereat the vehicle may be inverted and then righted and beyond this there is a loading station so that the vehicle can be loaded, returned to the transfer duct and then conveyed to some distant region through the other pipeline.

United States Fatent 1191 Carstens et al.

[54] DEVICE TO STOP AND TO CHANGE DIRECTION OF VEHICLES IN ACAPSULE-TRANSPORT PIPELINE [75] Inventors: Marion R. Carstens, Atlanta;Homer J. Bates, Roswell, both of Ga.

[73] Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Institute, At-

lanta, Ga.

[22] Filed: Oct. 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 193,377

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. Nos.856,566, Sept. 10, 1969, abandoned, and Ser. No. 140,071, May 4,

Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Attorney-Edward Taylor Newton et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A pipeline transportation system for vehicles in which themotive force is low pressure air traveling at a velocity substantiallyat which the vehicles are swept along includes a first pipeline whichleads to a transfer duct and a second pipeline which leads away from thetransfer duct. A guiding pipeline extends beyond the transfer duct as acontinuation or extension of that pipeline in which air flows into thetransfer duct and an extension of the other pipeline also leads from thetransfer duct, the two guide extensions having free end portionsdisposed in close adjacency to each other. A dead-end chamber isswingably mounted for movement between positions aligned with therespective free end portions of the two guide extensions and in thereturn guide extension there is an unloading station whereat the vehiclemay be inverted and then righted and beyond this there is a loadingstation so that the vehicle can be loaded, returned to the transfer ductand then conveyed to some distant region through the other pipeline.

18 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPRB I975 3.724.691

sum 1 OF 2 FIG. I

FIG. 2

FIG. 3

38 E INVENTOR5:

MID/01V Q owsmvs #04150 J 54755 CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONSThis application is an improvement in the parent andcontinuation-in-part applications Ser. No. 856,5 66,

filed Sept. 10, 1969, now abandoned and Ser. No. 1

140,071, filed May 4, I971.

The above applications and the disclosures thereof are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the aforesaid copendingcontinuation-impart application, there is disclosed a transportationsystem which utilizes low pressure, high velocity air as the motivepower for transporting vehicles through a conduit system and, inparticular, a closed conduit system is disclosed and, as well, a systemin which a vehicle or vehicles are shuttled back and forth within acommon pipeline or conduit means.

In many cases, the transporting system usefully will be employed fortransporting bulk materials which will be programmed to be directed to apredetermined point at which it may be desired to off-load the contentsof the vehicle and then, perhaps, to re-load the vehicle before it ispassed to the originating or to a further station. Thus, it would bedesirable to provide a system having these capabilities and whereinthese functions are performed in an efficacious manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is primarilydirected to an improved system as defined hereinabove having theaforesaid additional capabilities and functions. For this purpose, thearrangement in general comprises a conduit system having one conduitmeans leading to a common region and a second conduit'means leading awayfrom the common region and with the air flow creating means establishingan air flow system wherein the low pressure air flows to the commonregion through one of the conduit means and flows away from the commonregion through the other of the conduit means and with there beingprovided means for extending the first conduit means at the commonregion beyond the environment of the air flow system and second meansfor extending the second conduit means at the common region beyond theenvironment of the air flow system and, as well, means for directing thevehicle from the first to the second extension means.

Preferably, there is provided a transfer means in the form of a duct orthe like interconnecting the two conduit means at the common region, thetwo conduit means being open within the duct or transfer means so as toallow the motive-providing air stream to pass from one conduit means tothe other and so that extensions of these two conduit means beyond thetransfer means are essentially beyond the environment of the air flowsystem and whereat the diverting, unloading and reloading may take placefree from the influence of the low pressure air flow system.

The diverting means which directs the vehicle from one extension to theother so that eventual transfer from one conduit means to the other iseffected,

0 section which is open at its top to allow re-loading of the vehicle,prior to the reintroduction into the environment or influence of the airflow system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a view in elevation,partially broken away, illustrating the first and second conduit meansand the various components at the common region whereat the functionalaspects of the present invention take place;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the system at thetransfer means;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially along the plane ofsection line 3-3 in FIG. 2 and show ing further details of the transfermeans;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view showing the diverting station;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a modification of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference to FIG. 1 willillustrate the general arrangement and combination of componentsaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As showntherein, there is provided a first conduit means indicated generally bythe reference character 10 and a second. conduit means indicatedgenerally by the reference character 12, which both are associated witha transfer means indicated generally by the reference character 14.Means is provided in association with the two conduit means 10 and I2and the transfer means 14 such as to create a low pressure air flowsystem which is operative to provide the motive force for propelling orsweeping along the vehicle or vehicles in the system. In FIG. 1, thearrow 16 indicates the direction of air flow in the first conduit means14 which is leading to the transfer means 14 and the arrow 18 in thesecond conduit means 12 illustrates the direction of air flow leadingaway from the transfer means 14.

The first and second conduit means 10 and 12 emanate from a distance,and in this respect may emanate from a common region distant to thecommon region illustrated in FIG. 1 or they may lead to differentstations which form part of the overall transportation system.

Beyond the transfer means 14, there is provided a first guide orextension means 20 leading away from the transfer means 14 towards adiverting station 22 and there is also provided a second guide orextension means 24 leading from the diverting station 22 to the transfermeans 14. As will hereinafter be disclosed in detail, the vehicle 26, inpassing through the extension means 20, the diverting station 22 and thereturning extension means 24 is essentially beyond the environment orinfluence of the air flow system and the arrangement is thus eminentlysuitable to perform the stopping, diverting, unloading and re-loading ofthe vehicle as hereinafter described without interfering with themotivating air flow system or being interfered thereby.

To complete the general description of FIG. 1, the return extensionmeans 24 includes an unloading station indicated generally by thereference character 28 and a re-loading station indicated generally bythe reference character 30.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the transfer means 14 will be seen toconsist of walled enclosure 32 presenting a transfer duct interior 34within the confines of which the first and second conduit means and 12are provided with top openings or cut-aways 36 and 38 respectively whichallow the air flowing in the first conduit means 10 toward the transfermeans 14 to flow outwardly of the first conduit means in the mannerindicated by the arrows 40 and to pass therefrom, through the interior34 into the second conduit means 12 as indicated by the arrows 42. Thetransfer means, then, acts as a turnaround" for the air flowing in thepropelling or motive system and effectively isolates or substantiallyisolates the two extensions and 24 from the environment or influence ofthe air flow system. To this end, the blower mechanism (not shown) usedfor creating the air flow system may be so located with respect to thetransfer means 14 that the interior thereof is substantially atatmospheric pressure as is disclosed in the applications mentionedhereinabove and incorporated herein by reference. Other arrangementsmay, of course, be used as desired.

At the diverting station 22, the arrangement of FIGS. 4 and 5 isprovided for the purpose of transferring or diverting the vehicle 26from one extension means 20 to the other 24. For this purpose there isprovided at the station 22 a framework which may include a base or basemembers 44 and several uprights such as are indicated by the referencecharacters 46 and suitable interconnecting members 48 to provide a rigidframe mounting the pivot block 50 by means of which a deadend chamber 52is swivelly connected for movement between the full and dashed linepositions illustrated in FIG. 4. The framework also supports a pair ofguide members 54 which straddle the forward or free end of the dead-endchamber 52 and which guides are arcuately concentric with the pivot axisof the shaft or shafts 56 which swingably or swivelly connect thedead-end chamber 52 to the framework through the intermediary of theblocks 50 previously described. The forward end of the dead-end chamber52 is cut on an arc and the free end portions of the two extension means20 and 24 are vertically aligned and also cut on arcs concentric withthe axis of the shaft 56 so that the free end of the chamber 52 is inclosely spaced relationship with the end of the either the extension 20or the extension 24, as the case may be, as is indicated at 58 in FIG.5.

Normally, the dead-end chamber 52 is counterweighted to assume the fullline position as is shown in FIG. 4 and for this purpose, a pair ofweights W are provided to counterbalance same. Each of the weights W isin the form of a cannister having a central tube T projecting therein asis shown in FIG. 4 and through which one end of an operating cable C ispassed for dead-ending upon a plate P between which plate and the bottomB of each cannister there is interposed a damping spring S. The cable Cin each case is passed over a pair of pulleys P supported by the arms 60which are secured to and rigid with the frame and the opposite ends ofthe cables C and dead-ended as at 62 to the opposite sides of thedead-end chamber 52. The two cannisters are filled to a greater orlesser extent with a suitable material such as water to provide theproper counterbalancing weight so that when the loaded vehicle 26 entersthe dead-end chamber 52, the chamber will slowly swing down to thedashed line position shown in FIG. 4 wherein it is in alignment with theguide means 24 so as to allow the vehicle to flow or roll by gravityinto the return extension 24.

Returning to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the extension means 20 isslightly downwardly inclined toward the diverting station 22 so that theloaded vehicle may roll by gravity slowly after it has passed beyond theconfines of the transfer means 14 eventually to enter the dead-endchamber 52. The dead-end chamber may be constructed so as to provide aprogressively narrowing cross section to afford a cushioning effect ofair being compressed ahead of the entering vehicle 26 and additionally,the dead-end chamber may be provided with a suitable bumper or cushionat its closed, righthand end in FIG. 1 finally to arrest the motion ofthe loaded vehicle 26. It is also to be understood that any suitablelatching means may be provided within the confines of the dead-endchamber 52 to retain the loaded vehicle 26 therewithin, until released,as the dead-end chamber swings from the full to the dashed linepositions of FIG. 4. Assuming now that the deadend chamber, with theloaded vehicle therewithin, has swung down to the dashed line positionin FIG. 4, and that the suitable retaining or latching means has beenreleased, the loaded car will now roll by gravity into the confines ofthe return guide means 24 and, specifically into that section 64 thereofwhich constitutes the unloading section of the return guide means 24.Thereafter, the dead-end chamber 52 will return to its full lineposition shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Once in the unloading section 64,suitable stop and holding means retain the vehicle therewithin such thatthe open top 66 of the vehicle is in registry with the opening 68 of thesection 64 which normally is disposed uppermost as is illustrated inFIG. 1. Thereafter, a suitable drive means such as the electric motor 70operating through a chain 72 sprocketed to trained over the section 64rotates the section 64 through 360 first to invert the car within thesection 64 and dump its contents and thereafter to right the car orvehicle whereafter the holding means may be released so that thevehicle, now unloaded, may pass by gravity down the inclined returnguide means 24 into the re-loading section 74. This section 74 isprovided with a cut away or opening 76 in its upper side, as shown,whereby the now-upright vehicle may be reloaded with material which isto be sent to a distant station through the second conduit means 12. Itis to be understood that suitable arresting and holding means may beprovided in the section 74 constituting the reloading station 30 wherebyto hold the vehicle for reloading and later to release at the propertime for reentry into the transfer means 14 ultimately to return to theinfluence or the environment of the air flow system for progress throughthe conduit means 12.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the extension meansor guide means 20 and 24 of FIG. 1 have been replaced by equivalentmeans 80 and 82 which, instead of being vertically staggered at theirfree end portions as in FIG. 1, are disposed in horizontally staggeredrelationship as is shown in FIG. 6. The deadend chamber 84, in thiscase, is swingably supported through pivot blocks 86 for movement abouta vertical axis between the full and dashed line positions illustratedin FIG. 6. Since the operation of the device now will not take placeunder the influence of gravity, a suitable cylinder 88 and associatedpiston rod 90 interconnects the frame F and the dead-end chamber 84positively to efiect the swinging action of the latter.

What is claimed is:

1. In a transportation system of the type including first and secondconduit means emanating from a distance and leading to a common region,and including means for creating a low pressure air flow system throughsaid first conduit means toward said common region and through saidsecond conduit means away from said common region, the improvementcomprismg:

transfer means communicating said first and second conduit means forreceiving air from said first conduit means and passing it to saidsecond conduit means at said common region;

at least one transporting vehicle operating in said system and adaptedto be swept along by low pressure air flow therein; first guide meansextending from said transfer means for receiving said vehicle from saidfirst conduit means and guiding it along a first path essentially beyondthe environment of the air flow system;

second guide means leading to said transfer means for guiding saidvehicle along a second path to said second conduit means leading to theenvironment of said air flow system;

said first and second paths being arranged to have corresponding freeends disposed in closely spaced relation; and

diverting means for receiving said vehicle at said free end of the firstpath and delivering it to saidfi'ee end of the second path whereby saidvehicle may progress to said common region through said first conduitmeans within the environment of said air flow system ultimately to bereintroduced into said air flow system for passage through said secondconduit means.

2. In a transporting system as defined in claim ll wherein saiddiverting means comprises a dead-end chamber.

3. In a transportation system as defined in claim 2 wherein saiddead-end chamber is swingably mounted for movement between positionsaligned respectively with said first guide means and said second guidemeans.

4. In a transportation system as defined in claim 3 wherein said firstand second guide means are vertically staggered at said free endportions of the first and second paths.

5. In a transportation system as defined in claim 3 wherein said firstand second guide means are horizontally staggered at said free endportions of said first and second paths.

ti. In a transportation system as defined in claim 1 wherein said secondguide means includes an unloading section for said vehicle prior to itsintroduction into said second conduit means.

7. In a transportation system as defined in claim 6 wherein said secondguide means includes a loading section beyond said unloading section.

8. In a transportation system of the type including first and secondconduit means emanating from a distance and leading to a common region,and including means for creating a low pressure air flow system throughsaid first conduit means toward said common region and through saidsecond conduit means away from said common region, the improvementcomprising:

at least one transporting vehicle operating in said system and adaptedto be swept along by low pressure air flow therein;

first means for extending said first conduit means at said common regionbeyond the environment of said air flow system;

second means for extending said second conduit means at said commonregion beyond the environment of said air flow system; and

means for directing said vehicle from said first means to said secondmeans.

9. In the transportation system as defined in claim 8 wherein saidsecond means includes an unloading section for said vehicle.

10. In the transportation system as defined in claim 9 wherein saidsecond means also includes a loading section beyond said unloadingsection.

11. In a transportation system as defined in claim 8 wherein thelast-mentioned means comprises a deadend chamber.

12. In a transportation system as defined in claim 11 wherein saiddead-end chamber is swingably mounted for movement between positionsaligned respectively with said first and second means.

13. In a transportation system as defined in claim 12 wherein said firstand second means are vertically stag gered adjacent said dead-endchamber.

14. In a transportation system as defined in claim 12 wherein said firstand second means are horizontally staggered adjacent said dead-endchamber.

15. In a transportation system of the type including first and secondconduit means emanating from a distance and leading to a common region,and including means for creating a low pressure air flow system throughsaid first conduit means toward said common region and through saidsecond conduit means away from said common region, the improvementcomprising:

transfer means communicating said first and second conduit means forreceiving air from said first conduit means and passing it to saidsecond conduit means at said common region;

at least one transporting vehicle operating in said system and adaptedto be swept along by low pressure air flow therein;

first guide means for leading said vehicle away from said transfer meansby gravity after discharge thereinto from said first conduit means;

second guide means for leading said vehicle to said transfer means bygravity and to said second conduit means;

said first and second guide means having closely spaced free endportions remote from said transfer means; and

means for receiving said vehicle from the free end portion of said firstguide means and transferring it to the free end portion of said secondguide means.

16. In the transportation system as defined by claim wherein thelast-mentioned means is a dead-end chamber.

1. In a transportation system of the type including first and second conduit means emanating from a distance and leading to a common region, and including means for creating a low pressure air flow system through said first conduit means toward said common region and through said second conduit means away from said common region, the improvement comprising: transfer means communicating said first and second conduit means for receiving air from said first conduit means and passing it to said second conduit means at said common region; at least one transporting vehIcle operating in said system and adapted to be swept along by low pressure air flow therein; first guide means extending from said transfer means for receiving said vehicle from said first conduit means and guiding it along a first path essentially beyond the environment of the air flow system; second guide means leading to said transfer means for guiding said vehicle along a second path to said second conduit means leading to the environment of said air flow system; said first and second paths being arranged to have corresponding free ends disposed in closely spaced relation; and diverting means for receiving said vehicle at said free end of the first path and delivering it to said free end of the second path whereby said vehicle may progress to said common region through said first conduit means within the environment of said air flow system ultimately to be reintroduced into said air flow system for passage through said second conduit means.
 2. In a transporting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said diverting means comprises a dead-end chamber.
 3. In a transportation system as defined in claim 2 wherein said dead-end chamber is swingably mounted for movement between positions aligned respectively with said first guide means and said second guide means.
 4. In a transportation system as defined in claim 3 wherein said first and second guide means are vertically staggered at said free end portions of the first and second paths.
 5. In a transportation system as defined in claim 3 wherein said first and second guide means are horizontally staggered at said free end portions of said first and second paths.
 6. In a transportation system as defined in claim 1 wherein said second guide means includes an unloading section for said vehicle prior to its introduction into said second conduit means.
 7. In a transportation system as defined in claim 6 wherein said second guide means includes a loading section beyond said unloading section.
 8. In a transportation system of the type including first and second conduit means emanating from a distance and leading to a common region, and including means for creating a low pressure air flow system through said first conduit means toward said common region and through said second conduit means away from said common region, the improvement comprising: at least one transporting vehicle operating in said system and adapted to be swept along by low pressure air flow therein; first means for extending said first conduit means at said common region beyond the environment of said air flow system; second means for extending said second conduit means at said common region beyond the environment of said air flow system; and means for directing said vehicle from said first means to said second means.
 9. In the transportation system as defined in claim 8 wherein said second means includes an unloading section for said vehicle.
 10. In the transportation system as defined in claim 9 wherein said second means also includes a loading section beyond said unloading section.
 11. In a transportation system as defined in claim 8 wherein the last-mentioned means comprises a dead-end chamber.
 12. In a transportation system as defined in claim 11 wherein said dead-end chamber is swingably mounted for movement between positions aligned respectively with said first and second means.
 13. In a transportation system as defined in claim 12 wherein said first and second means are vertically staggered adjacent said dead-end chamber.
 14. In a transportation system as defined in claim 12 wherein said first and second means are horizontally staggered adjacent said dead-end chamber.
 15. In a transportation system of the type including first and second conduit means emanating from a distance and leading to a common region, and including means for creating a low pressure air flow system through said first conduit means toward said common region and through said second conduit means away frOm said common region, the improvement comprising: transfer means communicating said first and second conduit means for receiving air from said first conduit means and passing it to said second conduit means at said common region; at least one transporting vehicle operating in said system and adapted to be swept along by low pressure air flow therein; first guide means for leading said vehicle away from said transfer means by gravity after discharge thereinto from said first conduit means; second guide means for leading said vehicle to said transfer means by gravity and to said second conduit means; said first and second guide means having closely spaced free end portions remote from said transfer means; and means for receiving said vehicle from the free end portion of said first guide means and transferring it to the free end portion of said second guide means.
 16. In the transportation system as defined by claim 15 wherein the last-mentioned means is a dead-end chamber.
 17. In the transportation system as defined in claim 16 wherein said dead-end chamber is swingable by gravity to effect said transfer.
 18. In the transportation system as defined in claim 16 wherein said dead-end chamber is swingable horizontally to effect said transfer, and means for swinging said dead-end chamber horizontally. 